120 minutes in nature a week may be the ‘threshold’ for health and wellbeing
We are hugely lucky to live and work in Dorset with the wide variety of opportunities to connect with our unique natural and semi-natural green spaces. From our urban parks to nature reserves, country parks to coast and beaches, rivers to country footpaths, and garden spaces. In this piece, Maria Clarke, Dorset Local Nature Partnership Manager, sheds more light on the ICS nature-based wellbeing offer and the experiences of staff who have benefitted it.
Spending time outside is not only fun but has excellent health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, increasing your vitamin D levels, helping you be physically active, boosting your mood and increasing confidence.
There’s increasing evidence of the benefits, and Exeter University’s research suggests that spending 120 minutes in nature a week may be the ‘threshold’ for health and wellbeing and could be a similar promotion tool as eating 5-a-day of fruit and vegetables.
Health and Nature Dorset (HAND) is a developing collaboration which aims to strengthen joint working on nature-based wellbeing across Dorset (BCP and Dorset council areas) to increase the access to, use of, and connection with the natural environment to support and enhance physical and mental wellbeing.
HAND began from a working group of Active Dorset, Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Dorset Local Nature Partnership, NHS Dorset and Public Health Dorset and aims to bring nature-based wellbeing providers together with those who can signpost people to activities to support wellbeing.
HAND has been awarded a contract to run a staff wellbeing programme for all ICS staff members. We have a wide range of exciting activities including wellbeing walks in nature reserves such as Arne, Kingcombe, Wild Woodbury, Thorncombe Wood, and Avon Heath and Durlston County Parks, nature and arts sessions, Forest Bathing at a variety of locations, archaeology walks and yoga to name just a few.
The feedback from the activities so far has been really positive. We asked participants what they liked best about the activity and one participant said “The opportunity to explore new ways on engaging with nature and the environment and to discover new information about Dorset/nature.” Other participants said it was “Lovely to walk through Arne with experienced staff who could explain the fauna and flora etc. Really relaxing and felt immersed in nature.” and another liked “having time to breathe and reflect in nature”.
We also asked what the most valuable message they had taken away from the wellbeing session, responses included:
- “Take some time for me.”
- “We can all create time in our day to slow down and notice nature.”
- “Get out and about in the fresh air and appreciate your surrounding countryside. This makes you feel good and releases stress. By living in harmony with nature, one gains a healthy mind and body.”
- “To make more of an effort to make time to enjoy the outdoor spaces on our doorstep. To switch off, take some time for myself, exercising outside to help my mental health.”
Any staff members from the ICS can book to attend a session on their own, with some colleagues, or book as a team session. The programme will run until May 2023, so why not Give Nature a go?!
Register now for an activity happening near you.
Written by Maria Clarke
Featured image by Zoe Butler
